VIBE presents funds to five 2016 nonprofit partners

Tuesday

Feb 14, 2017 at 10:42 AM

Jared DuBach, Voice Editor

MACOMB — Five area organizations benefited from a presentation of over $69,000 from Volunteers Interested in Benefiting Everyone (VIBE) on Friday.Among the five nonprofit organization recipients were: Loaves and Fishes, Soup ’n’ More, Colchester Area Relief Effort (CARE), Special Olympics and Bushnell-Prairie City Vision Screeners. The money presented by VIBE came from the fundraising gala held in November combined with a more than $14,000 donation given to VIBE by Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity from that organization’s annual Smoking Hog October hog roast feed.“On behalf of VIBE, I want to express our appreciation to everyone who donated generously at last year’s event,” stated VIBE President Denise Kipling.Mark Merrill, a core committee member of Soup ’n’ More and representative for Loaves and Fishes at the VIBE presentation said the donations to the local organizations is substantial. Both groups each received $10,893.33 from VIBE. Soup ’n’ More provides a meal once a month on the last Sunday of the month for those seeking food. Attendees are also able to take a bag of food home with them. Much is acquired from Midwest Food Bank and River Bend Food Bank, but Merrill said both Soup ’n’ More and Loaves and Fishes also receive bread and baked goods from Hy-Vee. Loaves and Fishes also provides food 1:15-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1:15-3 p.m. on Friday. Both organizations’ programs are implemented out of First Presbyterian Church on Carroll Street in Macomb.Kristi White, a nurse for Bushnell-Prairie City School District accepted a $4,000 presentation for a new vision screening device. She was joined by B-PC driver’s education instructor Wade Bowman. According to White, the new vision screen equipment will be used for children K-12. The current device was made in 1971, and replacement parts have become difficult to find. In addition, the new device will have proper peripheral vision testing, which has become essential for gauging high school students’ visual ability when beginning driver’s education. Bowman said it is required in order for a student to be granted a learner’s permit by the state. Any student K-12 who may have anomalies found through the screening process is directed to see an optometrist for follow-up. White said other schools can coordinate in order to use the device purchased with the VIBE presentation.Colchester Area Relief Effort (CARE) received a grant from VIBE for $10,893.33. CARE founders Mary Garlick and Francis Welch said the money received will go toward food, and the group has made strides toward making milk and fruit more available. CARE has gone from providing 38,000 pounds of food to those in need to 77,000 pounds in 2016. Welch credits their ability to provide food to people to the dedication of their volunteers. Garlick and Welch also note Ginger Rexroat is a founder of CARE.CARE has a storefront open 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at 108 E. Market Street in Colchester. Those who go to the store are able to take what they need from the shelves at no charge.Special Olympics received $32,686 from VIBE for expanding and enhancing its programs in McDonough County. According to Cathy Betar, area director for Special Olympics of Western Illinois, the organization is able to provide free activities and services to athletes and their families due to raised funds like those provided by VIBE. With the money received on Friday, Betar said the Macomb program will be made “bigger and better.” In addition, Special Olympics will be able to establish a program through West Prairie Middle School and expand to the Bushnell-Prairie City School District.As of Friday, VIBE was accepting applications for the 2017 fundraising season. New enrollment is open to any nonprofit organization in the county. Those wishing to apply must do so by Feb. 26 by sending an email to request an application to mcdonoughcountyvibe@hotmail.com.

Reach Jared DuBach by email at jdubach@McDonoughVoice.com, or follow him on Twitter@JaredDuBach.

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